Bill Kaulitz of the band Tokio Hotel. Again, an attempt at photorealism.Lately (or more like for as long as I've been drawing), I never felt like I've spent enough time on a piece for extreme detail. While I didn't quite accomplish the amount of scrutiny I hope to reach by the end of my life (detail down to the very pores of the skin), I'm fairly happy with the progress I made here. I was diligent enough to make the eyelashes more than just black, a surprising feat of "un-laziness" for me. I'd really almost say this is the best drawing I've done yet! (Sorry if a lot of the detail was lost in the camera work! )

This piece is another milestone for me in that it's the largest piece I've done yet! (12x16") I think it's on Bristol paper, but I'm not sure. It was a large scrap piece I found in the studio I share with my brother and he didn't seem to care that I took it. Thinking of selling the original. Anyways, hope you guys like it!

Close up here: c Raechel Wong 2008Don't steal. Karma will kick you in the face.

This is inspiring to look at. And I think you have achieved this photorealism very well!The shadows are very rich and I love the deep contrast. I love the highlights in his eyes, his hair and especially his necklaces.Oh and the eyebrowns too! Such details! I wish I could be this good <3

If you want to go really really dark, I can recommend using charcoal, but be gentle with it, as it's difficult to blend and doesn't shine the way graphite does due to the varying particle size. If you can keep from mixing charcoal and graphite though, you're probably better off with softer graphite leads.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THIS IS SOOOO GOOD! *bows down to greatness* LOVE the detail! eyes, lips, every strand of hair...and all the accessories too. this is amazing! and if you sell the original, you HAVE to get that price up, it's worth it. you should sell prints of this, really! i'm sure loads of people would want this. at least, i do!

Aw, thank you! I'm glad you like it! I would sell prints and the original itself, but I would probably have to get permission from Bill himself (or the photographer) and I'm not exactly sure how to go about it...

oh yea :S hmmm loads of people sell fanart though, if it can be classified as such! i mean, drawing the photo itself would already be a form of stealing-art wouldn't it? >.< if the photo's copyrighted, that is.

In all honesty, it's fine because it's a good way to practice and there aren't people policing for this kind of thing. However, you'll find that if you're considering making a career out of portrait work that it's also great practicing on your own photos of friends and family, as it can be more of a challenge. I actually recommend drawing from live models as well if you can get someone to sit for you. It's a great exercise in learning to render from a 3-D source.

Haha, so do I. I think most artists have problems with that, but if you make an effort not to tone it down while practicing it'll work out. In fact, you can keep glamourising the eyes as long as it's in proportion with everything else. Also learn how to glam-up the rest of your portrait.

but anywaygreat drawingdetail is impeccablei can tell your a hyper realist much like myselfits good to see some good traditional artists amongst the fan art plague that has near totally wiped out all good artists on heremost of them have all leftthey got tired of swarms of bull crap that people call art these days [link]

Oh, the mysteries of androgyny... Gotta love it. Tokio Hotel and AFI both have very androgynous frontmen, hahaha.And thanks very much! Not too many people appreciate realism enough as to venture it these days...